TO KEEP UP WITH CLASSMATES AND MAKE HIS ILLNESS AN OBSTACLE HE CAN ROLL RIGHT OVER. AT FIRST-CLASS THEY ARE ARE UNLIKELY BIOLOGY LAB PARTNERS. A HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN GIRL AND A ROBOT. THE MACHINE IS ACTUALLY OPERATED BY 14-YEAR-OLD CONNOR FLANIGAN FROM INSIDE HIS HOUSE. I CAN TALK TO PEOPLE, SAY HI TO PEOPLE WALKING BY. A CANCER SURVIVOR, CONNOR IS NOW AWAITING A LUNG TRANSPLANT. HE IS ON OXYGEN AND GETS WINDED AND DOESN'T HAVE THE STAMINA TO GO TO SCHOOL FIVE DAYS A WEEK. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS WILLING TO SEND A TUTOR WHICH ACADEMICALLY WOULD BE FINE BUT HE WOULD BE MISS MISSING THE WHOLE PIECE OF SEEING CLASSMATES AND INTERACTING WITH THEM. BASICALLY SKYPE THE WHEELS THIS USES CAMERAS AND THE INTERNET TO STREAM TWO WAY VIDEO BETWEEN CONNOR'S HOUSE AND SCHOOL. WE ARE EAVESDROPPING A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR CLASS. CONNOR SHOWS US HOW HE SEES THE CLASS AND THEY SEE HIM. HE CAN SEE MOST OF THE THINGS AND DO ALMOST EVERYTHING. HE IS STILL CONNOR AND STILL VERY FUNNY. THE ROBOT COSTS $6,000 AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS PAYING FOR IT. THEY SAY IT IS COST EFFICIENT BECAUSE IF THEY DIDN'T BUY THE ROBOT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE A TUTOR FOR CONNOR AND THAT COULD COST UP TO $200 TO $300 A DAY. THE ROBOT CAN BE SHARED BY OTHER STUDENTS WITH SIMILAR NEEDS. RIGHT NOW THERE ARE FIVE ROBOTS IN MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOLS, 50 ACROSS THE COUNTRY. KEEPING KIDS THAT WOULD FEEL OUT OF THE LOOP VERY MUCH PART OF THE PROGRAM. CONNOR EVEN GOT ELECTED CLASS VICE PRESIDENT. WHEN CAN'T BE THERE LIKE FOR CLASS PICTURES THE ROBOT WILL. DRESS IT UP WHICH IS FUN SOMETIMES. SHOW OFF THE FLAG. IN KINGSBOROUGH. WE